Category Archives: Tired Tuesday

Tale of a Tired Tuesday

I am sitting on my couch listening to sleet hit the windows and somebody plow out the neighbor’s driveway.  They are taking a long time about it, I must say.  I am going to talk about the weather for my Tired Tuesday post.  “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it”  (said in an airhead tone of voice).

The weather people were threatening a winter storm for today.  I kept saying, ” They don’t KNOW, they’re just guessing.” Of course, it is a highly educated guess.  I don’t know as much as the weather people do.  My bunions are far from accurate, as are the headaches I get from barometric pressure (yes, I’m just guessing about that).  At any rate, it did start to snow right around 10 a.m., as predicted.

I told Steven I was going to come home, park in the street, and shovel out the end of the driveway so I could back in.  He said, “Come home, pull in, and come inside.”  I made no promises.  When I left work it had already switched over to sleet, rather than waiting till five or so as predicted (so you see the weather folks were not completely accurate).  As usual, I appreciated my perverse sense of humor which leads me to laugh at bad weather.  I giggled and chuckled even as it felt like sharp pebbles were striking my cheeks.

Wind had been blowing, so some cars in the parking lot were more snow-covered than others.  Based on my usual luck, I predicted my car would be one of the covered ones.  It was, but as I approached, I saw that somebody was already cleaning it off!  It was my work friend, Kathy, who usually parks near where I usually park.  Her SUV was already clear.

“What a sweetie you are!”  I started the car and grabbed my own brush.  My little car was soon clear. I thanked my friend profusely and got going.

The drive home could have been a lot worse. As it was, roads were either snow-covered or icy, mostly the former, so that was OK.  I knew I would do no shoveling when I got home.  Sleet is painful!  When I got home, Steven met me at the door, prepared to forcibly prevent me from shoveling if need be.  There was no need.

So this is the extent of my Tired Tuesday post.  I did not think to take any pictures of the snow outside before it got dark, so you must use your imagination, if you are so inclined.  In the meantime, Happy Tuesday, and I hope to see you all on Wuss-out Wednesday (or whatever kind of a Wednesday it turns out to be).

 

Writing Through the Angst on Tired Tuesday

So it’s Tired Tuesday again.  How did I get to be so old and useless anyways?  Oh, that sounded whiny and self-pitying, didn’t it?  I should erase it, but I am determined to make this post and have done with, so I made up my mind not to backspace out what I typed, no matter how pathetic.

Full disclosure:  I have been sitting here in front of a blank screen thinking that it may be time for me to stop being a daily blogger.  I have been doing this blog since May of 2011.  That’s a pretty good run, isn’t it?  I suppose it would have been a better run if there had been fewer posts about I Can’t Write a Blog Post Today.  Then again, if I had not been trying to make daily posts, there may have been fewer foolish posts. But what about the readers who enjoy my foolish posts?  Why should I deprive them? As regular readers know, I go through these angst-y things every so often, and I always end up hitting Publish and hoping for the best.  And trying again the next day.

If only I could get back into the habit of writing my blog posts during the day while on break at work!  One reason I did not do that today is that a co-worker brought me copy of Mohawk Valley Living magazine, and I was reading it.  I read all the articles and perused the ads, searching for future Mohawk Valley adventures.  You know, stuff I can write blog posts about.  So that is one plan for the improvement of this blog.

I have another plan to improve this blog:  I am going to work to improve my life, then blog about how I have brought these improvements about.  I am not certain how much I can improve myself at this late date (I am middle-aged, if I live to be over 100), but they say it never hurts to try.  If I fail miserably,  I can blog about that.  At least it should be good for a laugh.

In the meantime, this is my Tired Tuesday post.  At least I have found something different to say about not having anything decent to say.  And I gave a quick shout-out to Mohawk Valley Living.  I’ll try not to wuss out on Wednesday, but no promises.

 

Too Tired Today

So I was kind of proud of yesterday’s post:  pictures, commentary, local stuff…  But perhaps I flatter myself. No matter, today’s post is going to be foolish.  I am tired!  Yes, it’s Tired Tuesday!!! (fanfare, please)

No, I never thought it was Friday; I just like this picture.

We got lots of snow today, and more is falling.  I had to brush off my car after work.  I drove home and parked in the street while I shoveled the driveway.  More accurately, I removed one layer of show.  I did not hit bottom and I knew more was to fall.  But one does what one can.  I did not take too long about it but still had to brush off my windows when I went to park my car.  At least I backed in, so I have a better shot at getting out tomorrow.

Preview of coming attractions.

This was not today; it was the results of a previous storm.  I hope this is not what we wake up to tomorrow, but, as the great Fats Waller said, one never knows, do one?

“What is it? I’m a little busy here.”

And I throw in a picture of Nosferatu just for good measure.  I did mention this is Tired Tuesday, did I not?  Just as an aside, my laptop is acting up lately.  It keeps going blank for no reason.  It turns back on, then I have to log back in, bring up WordPress again, and most of my blog has usually been saved.  It happened a few times during my typing of yesterday’s opus.  It happened once so far today. I’m going to quite while I’m ahead.  I hope to see you all on Wuss-out Wednesday.

 

Words Happen. Or Not.

Tired Tuesday follows Monstrous Monday in many cases.

I typed in that sentence, then I just sat here and stared at it, wondering what else to say.  It’s odd how sometimes I put fingers on keyboard and words happen (ooh, great title, that).  Sometimes not so much.  Guess what kind of day today is.

First drafts and blog posts.

Full disclosure:  most of my blog posts are first drafts.  Most of my everything are first drafts.  The papers I wrote in school, my murder mysteries, a lot of my articles for Mohawk Valley Living magazine, my many unfinished novels.  Oh well, I guess I do some editing, more on some things than others.  My writing is so informal, sometimes a first draft will do.

So this is another post about I Can’t Write a Blog Post Today.  What I am really trying to do is NOT write a post whining about some physical, emotional and personal troubles I have been having.  Oh dear, I should not have mentioned that at all.  And here is where a first draft can be a really good thing.  If this was a first draft, I could cut out that sentence when I edited and re-wrote.  The second or third draft could read entirely differently.  Less whiny, more coherent, in short, a better blog post.

A better blog post is always my aim.  I’ll see what I can do about that tomorrow.  However, experience has shown us all that sometimes Wuss-out Wednesday follows Tired Tuesday.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

Apparently I Can Write a Blog Post

I can’t have a Monstrous Tuesday; it’s not alliterative!  But here I am, doing nothing but read other blogs or look at Facebook when I meant to be making today’s post.  I should perhaps mention I am having a dreadful bout of Writer’s Blank.  At least, maybe this time it really is Writer’s Block, because there are words in my head that I intend to write.  Only when I sit down and put pen to paper, nothing comes out.

I found this gem by typing “monsters writing” into the search bar on Facebook.

Maybe it really is a discipline thing.  Perhaps if I gritted my teeth and forced myself to write the words I was thinking… Look, I already get sore muscles in my temples from grinding my teeth in my sleep, I do NOT need any more teeth gritting.  I really did sit down and write a sentence, which I immediately hated.  Oh, it was not the sentence you see at the top of this post.  I was trying to write my articles for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.

I imagine this was done with some gritted teeth.

I seem to follow a pattern with almost everything I write:  I can’t write it, I can’t write it, I can’t write it, I sit down and write it.  And I have yet to figure out how to skip any of the “I can’t write it”s.  I like to think the picture above is what might result if I tried.  For the uninitiated, it is from the 1980 movie The Shining, adapted from the Steven King book (by the way, they changed a LOT).  The main character is a writer, and this is all he has managed to come up with.

And now here I am approaching 300 words after I thought I couldn’t write at all.  So I guess that is one solution:  if you can’t write one thing, try something else.  Maybe I will be able to segue over to my articles next.  In the meantime, I’m going to call this a Tired Tuesday and drive on.  Maybe one picture of Nosferatu, just to cheer myself up.

“Wasn’t I supposed to be here on Monstrous Monday?”

 

Good-Bye, Christmas!

Steven and I had an at-home adventure today by taking down the Christmas lights on our front porch.  We are not the last house in Herkimer to do this, but we were among the last hold-outs.  Tradition says you keep your Christmas decorations up till Jan. 6, The Feast of the Epiphany.  I read that in a novel many years ago.  Somebody pulled down some holly that was in the way, and the heroine had bad luck.  It made an impression.  Also, I hate to let go of the holiday.

See how happy we looked?

OK, this is the real reason I decided to write my post about taking down the decorations:  I wanted an excuse to use the pictures again.   I thought a few pictures would cheer me up on a dreary January Tired Tuesday.

I could use a guardian angel.

Writing that caption made me think of the theory that we are here to be angels for each other.  I must think of something angelic to do for someone.  That might alleviate my post-Christmas letdown.

Maybe a softer light bulb next Christmas.

Regular readers may remember we put that Santa in the upstairs window because after I carried him down from the attic I did not feel able to make it down another flight of stairs.  Lifting him to put him away, I realized why.  Steven had put a rock inside the Santa last year when he was out on the porch.  How did I not notice that before? In any case, I carried Santa back up the attic without mishap, so yay, me.

And here is this year’s porch Santa.

This Santa Claus lives on our landing year round, because we love him so much.  My Mom and Dad found him in an antique shop in Pennsylvania.  I do love a vintage Santa.

Speaking of vintage, I think it is wine o’clock.  We put away decorations.  I made my blog post.  I think I am doing all right for a Tired Tuesday.

 

Monsters Usually Help

“Am I late?”

When in doubt, open with a vampire.  I came across a new picture of one of my favorite guys earlier today on Facebook and downloaded it.  I should have known it would immediately come in handy when I realized I don’t have a whole lot to blog about today.

The fact is I am deep in the throes of a massive Post-Holiday and — even worse — End of Vacation letdown.  But I am uncomfortably conscious of really being someone “with nothing to complain about.”  I put it in quotes, because it is kind of a cliche.  Now it is not only post-Christmas and Back to Work that is bothering me, it is that everything I type in sounds so stupid to me! Have I suddenly lost all ability to write?  SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!

It’s no use:  I am down and, as I often say, sometimes you just have to feel that way until you don’t feel that way any more.  In the meantime, there is no point in dragging others down with me.  I’ll throw in a couple more pictures, maybe make a couple jokes, and call it a Tired Tuesday post.

Who can resist a sweet puppy?

I just peeked back at Facebook, and this cute card from the 1950’s caught my eye.  After all, I’m not ALL about monsters, murder and mayhem.

Do you recognize a young Christopher Lee?

However, since I am somewhat about monsters, murder and mayhem, I end with a picture of Horror Hotel (1960), which I recently found out is also known as City of the Dead, although it is really more of a village.  But I digress.

So this is my New Year’s Day Tired Tuesday post.  Here is a Freudian typo for you: I first put “Tried Tuesday.”  Get it?  I TRIED to make a decent blog post.  I shall try again tomorrow.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

I’m Not Tired of Santa Claus

I felt free to have a Monstrous Monday on Christmas Eve, so nobody need be surprised that I am having a Tired Tuesday on Christmas Day.  Hey, being merry can take a toll on an old broad like me!  At least I will try to refrain from whining about my oncoming post-Christmas letdown.  But no promises.

I had meant to take some pictures of my mother’s lovely Christmas decorations, which would have livened things up a bit.  Oh well, I fell down on the job. How about instead I visit Christmas Past and see what kind of photos I have in my Media Library.

Just popping in to say, “Merry Christmas!”

Here is one of my favorite decorations from 2016.  The fireplace screen was given to us by my parents the previous year (I think).  The Santa Claus, which is in fact only a partial one, was found by the ladies at Herkimer County Historical Society, after he blew from his rightful home during a wind storm.  They posted his picture on Facebook, but when the owner was not found, gave the Santa to the good home they knew Steven and I would provide.

Two very nice people wishing each other merry.

This is my dear husband Steven and our friend Margaret, who owns the So Sweet Candy Cafe in Utica.  We did not make it there before Christmas but I hope to pay them a visit in the next few days.  For one reason, my sister Cheryl brought some of Margaret’s treats to my parents, and I have two words for you:  Sugar. Plums.  I thought I had had them before and liked them, but I hadn’t tasted anything yet.  Go to the So Sweet and buy some!  And if they’re all gone by the time I get there, it serves me right!  I’ll be more beforehand next Christmas!

Hmmm…. it seems like Steven got me more presents in previous years.

I end with a Cavalcade of Claus, just in inject a bit of alliteration (I’m almost never too tired to alliterate).  We got these Santa’s at different times, and we love them all.  I also do not rule out acquiring more versions of the man in the red suit.  But that is for Christmas Yet to Come.

 

Joan Crawford Can’t Help Me Now

This is going to be Yet Another Post About Not Being Able to Make a Decent Blog Post.  It is not going to be about Why I Can’t Write a Post, though.  If I told you why, I might as well write the post I started to write but stopped writing, because, well, never mind.

I’m a stinky blogger.

I thought I would throw in a picture to distract from the lack of substance in this post.  Oh, I am tired.  That makes this a Tired Tuesday post, of course.  The post I started to write was a Tired Tuesday post, too.  I guess I am never too tired to complain about how tired I am.  Then again, most of us can find just enough oomph to complain under almost any circumstances (don’t deny it, it is an almost universal human trait).  There’s a topic for a future blog post:  how much people like to complain; possible subtopic: people who complain about other people complaining.

Who says you can’t get a head?

I decided to break out of that word bog with another picture.  Since I am so tired, I looked for one of somebody in bed.  I found Joan Crawford, trying unsuccessfully to get a good night’s sleep in Strait-Jacket (1964). Most of us feel a whole lot more sane on after a full night’s sleep.  Maybe not completely sane, but more sane.  I allude to nobody in particular, you understand.

I guess she feels strongly about it.

And this is what happens to some of us when we don’t get a good night’s sleep.  Or when we find our husband getting a good night’s sleep with somebody else. Here, of course, I refer to Joan Crawford’s character in the movie.  I’ve never taken an ax to anybody, nor, indeed, had reason to.

This is a singularly foolish post, and I am no slouch at making foolish posts.  I shall stop before I get any sillier.

 

Warming Up for the Reindeer Run

Could I be getting old?  SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!!  In fact, I can now rub two nickels together (meaning I am 55, if that was too obscure), but that is hardly the point.  The point is, it seems that when I go running after work with the intention of making a Running Commentary post, I become too tired to actually write said post.  Then again, yesterday I was too tired to make a decent post without benefit of running.  Now I am getting bogged down when my intention was merely to write an introductory paragraph.  I did mention I am tired, did I not?

My plan is to run the Reindeer Run 5K in Little Falls, NY, this Saturday (Dec. 8).  I have been working up to running a greater distance than 5K’s, with some measure of success.  Sunday I ran for 50 minutes, and the longest I’ve taken to run a 5K has been, I think, 38 and change.  Mind you, I believe I can pretty much run a 5K at any time, regardless of what I have been doing, through sheer stubbornness, with which I am well supplied.  It’s a question of how slow I go, how stupid I look, and how terrible I feel afterwards.  OK, I will probably go slow and look stupid in any case, but one can only do so much with what nature has provided.  The point is, I want to enjoy Christmas in Little Falls after the run.  I think I will be good to do that on Saturday.

Sunday, when I ran so long, was an unseasonably warm day.  This Saturday is supposed to be cold: mid-20’s, I believe.  Today was about that, so I thought it would be a good idea to run.  For another reason, I wanted to do some laundry and it is just so handy to throw a load in before I start the run.  During even a 20-minute run, after my cool-down walk, the wash is usually done.  This is pretty much the extent of my ability to multi-task.

I had on leggings and a winter running top.  I added a hat and my reflective vest.  I wanted the reflective vest mostly because it is another layer and has  a handy pocket for a couple of tissues.  However, I knew it would also be a good idea if I decided to run in the road at all.  As it turned out I mostly stayed on the sidewalks, but it is best to be prepared.

Ooh, it felt cold.  I wondered if I should have added a sweatshirt to the ensemble.  No matter.  I would no doubt warm up as I went.  I did, to a point.  The other advantage of my age is that I can pretty much count on getting a hot flash sooner or later.  Usually the hot flash makes me too hot, but at least it is a change in my discomfort.  Additionally, I can laugh at myself for always having something to complain about.

I ran for 25 minutes, which I considered OK.  I felt the important thing was to run at all.  Of course, the other important thing (to me, anyways) is to make a good blog post.  I’m afraid I have not said a whole lot about this run.  I like making the kind of Running Commentary post where I give almost a blow by blow of where I ran and what I saw.  Unfortunately, today’s run was quite uneventful.  Or perhaps I was too cold to notice anything.

As a matter of fact, I still have not warmed up, after a hot shower and a warm dinner.  No matter.  I ran.  I blogged.  I made it through Tuesday.  On with the rest of the week!